Sanford’s Courtney hoping to unseat Congresswoman Pingree

Thursday

Nov 1, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Shawn P. SullivanSanford News Editor

SANFORD — Congressional candidate Jon Courtney, a Republican and a longtime resident of Sanford, recently described his approach for trying to win votes and contributions to his campaign: He’s doing it “one handshake at a time.”

It’s an old-fashioned strategy for a newcomer to the national stage who is facing a well-financed incumbent. Courtney, who served as Majority Leader in Maine’s Senate, is challenging Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, for the state’s First District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Courtney served from District 3; Democrat John Tuttle and Republican Brad Littlefield, both of Sanford, are competing on the Nov. 6 ballot to succeed him.

Pingree, of North Haven, is seeking her third term. She defeated Republicans Charles Summers and Dean Scontras in 2008 and 2010, respectively. She is married to billionaire S. Donald Sussman and has three children.

If Courtney wins, he will be the first Congressman from Sanford since Louis B. Goodall a few years shy of a century ago.

“We need leaders in Washington who will work together,” Courtney said and added, chuckling, “It’s a little different from when (Goodall) was there.”

Courtney, who owns Courtney Cleaners, a Laundromat and dry-cleaning business, was born in Biddeford and raised in Wells; he moved to Sanford in 1988 and raised his family here. His wife is named Nancy, and he has three grown children, three grown stepchildren, and three grandchildren.

He has spent the campaign season visiting “all corners of the district,” he said, attending the Yarmouth Clam Festival this past summer, for example, and saying hello at Main Street businesses and attending fundraisers in Portland and elsewhere.

In Sanford, friends have held small events here and there to help build support. Courtney and Secretary of State Charles Summers, a fellow Republican and a candidate seeking to succeed Sen. Olympia Snowe in Washington, attended the Sanford Kiwanis Club’s regular meeting last week and visited Springvale businesses.

Pingree has visited Sanford three times this year. She advocated for and answered questions about the congressional Farm Bill during one of Partners for a Hunger-Free York County’s meetings last winter; spoke during a celebration at the site for a new planned health center in Springvale in August; and helped present a check for Brownfields funds to town officials during an event at the Sanford Town Club in September.

Throughout his travels, Courtney has carried his message with him: strengthen federal programs for seniors and prepare younger generations for the changes to come; simplify the tax code and close loopholes; bring troops home from Afghanistan as soon as possible; and reduce the national debt of $16 trillion by fostering job creation and investment.

“My vision for the future is to create an America where the next generation will have more prosperity than our current one. We can do this if we create an environment that will create predictability and stability for the job creators of tomorrow,” he says. “We must always fulfill our commitment to our veterans and seniors. We must create an environment that creates self-sufficiency that does not require dependence on government.”

Courtney cites the Maine Legislature’s recent record of reforming welfare, regulations, pensions and health insurance as proof that he knows how to work across the political aisle.

“The most significant part of these accomplishments is we brought Republicans, Democrats, and Independents together to pass this legislation,” he said.

Pingree says she is running to fight for the hard working people of Maine.

“We need to fight for our small businesses and help them grow so we can create more good paying jobs,” she said. “We need to protect Medicare and Social Security, ensure veterans receive the care they need, and make sure women have equal pay for equal work. And it is important to make sure our kids have access to a good, affordable education so they can succeed.”

In terms of the biggest issue during this year’s election, Pingree believes getting the deficit under control, investing in education, and bringing the troops home from Afghanistan to be among the chief concerns.

“I’m fighting to make sure we have an economy that works for everyone — from investing in education, to expanding manufacturing and investing in small business to create more good, middle class jobs,” she said. “And we need to increase our energy independence by investing in American sources of energy like wind, solar, and tidal power.”

Courtney acknowledged that he is running against a “strong incumbent” who has and has raised a lot of money, but also said he feels positive about the campaign he has run. He said he is grateful for the honor of running for U.S. representative. In particular, he said he has appreciated the reception from the people he has met in Maine’s First District.

“I feel good,” he said about the whole experience since he launched his candidacy last spring. “It has been tenfold of what I’ve ever dreamed of.”